Luscious Gateau
Description This luscious gateau filled with black cherries, kirsch and cream is a lot easier to make than you think. Ingredients * 5 eggs * 9 oz / 250 g caster sugar * 9 oz / 250 g plain flour * 1½ oz / 37½ g cocoa powder * 2 tsp / 10 ml baking powder * 1 pint / 600 ml double cream * 4 tbsp / 60 ml kirsch * 1 lb / 450 g canned black cherries, pitted and well drained * 4 oz / 125 g plain chocolate, caraque or grated Directions # Preheat the oven to mark 5 / 375°F / 190°C. # Grease and line base of tin. # Place eggs and sugar in a bowl over (but not touching) a pan of simmering water. # Whisk with electric beater until mixture is pale and thick and just holds the trail of the whisk (7-10 mins). # Remove the bowl from the heat and whisk for a further 2 minutes while it cools. # To help give the sponge a light texture, sift the flour, cocoa powder and baking powder onto a plate or bowl. # Carefully and gradually fold flour into egg mixture, cutting through with a metal spoon or large spatula until evenly mixed, use a folding and cutting movement and make sure you get to the bottom of the bowl to mix in all the flour gently stir in 7-8 tbsp/105-120 ml hot water to soften the mixture slightly and give a lighter result. # Spoon the mixture gently into the prepared cake tin and flatten the top, bake for 35-40mins or until just firm to the touch stand for 5-10 mins. # Then turn onto a plate carefully remove the paper. # Turn out onto a wire rack and leave until completely cold, when the cake is cold (don't try brfore or the sponge will crumble). # Split carefully into 3 layers, whip cream until slightly stiff and set some aside for piping. # Sprinkle sponge layers with kirsch, reserve 8-10 cherries for decoration. # Place bottom sponge on a serving plate spread with one quarter of the cream and half of the cherries. # Place the middle layer of sponge on top and spread with the second quarter of cream and the remaining cherries. # Place the third layer of sponge on top of the cream cover the sponge with more cream and smooth out with a palette knife. # Spread remaining cream neatly round sides with a palette knife. # Pipe reserved cream around top edge of cake. # Press small crumbled pieces of caraque (see bottom)round sides. # Decorate top with cherries and larger pieces of caraque. # Chill until required. # Melt 4 oz / 125 g of dark coating chocolate and spread thinly and evenly on a cold surface or foil. # Leave until cold but don't chill, using a large knife and with a sawing action hold the knife flat against the chocolate and scrape or push long curls of chocolate away from you. # Keep going until you have a good thick curl, a stubbier thicker version can be made very easily with an open neatly cut can. # Holding it almost upright pull the far side rim of the can across the chocolate. # Store as before in a cool place but do not chill the caraque. Category:Maltese Desserts Category:Cake Recipes Category:Cherry Recipes Category:Chocolate Recipes Category:Cocoa Recipes Category:Couverture chocolate Recipes Category:Double cream Recipes Category:Kirsch Recipes